Angeline Mbogo

Nairobi, Kenya. (March 6, 2019) …. Funtrench, the first blockchain educational institution in Eastern Africa, has today announced a strategic partnership with US-based blockchain certification company, Blockchain Training Alliance (BTA). The goal of the partnership is to boost Funtrench’s position in building an ecosystem of emerging technologies in Africa. This partnership puts Kenya as one of the African countries besides South Africa and Nigeria where BTA accredited blockchain courses are offered.

The collaboration with BTA will enable Funtrench to offer a wider range of certified blockchain-related courses in Kenya and to create a talent pool of individuals that are savvy in industry 4.0 technologies.

Making the announcement during the company launch at the Movenpick Hotel in Nairobi, Kingsley Ndiewo, CEO Funtrench Ltd said:

“Funtrench is not just a business; Funtrench is a revolution. We are happy to be officially launching our company ten months after opening our blockchain campus in Parklands, Nairobi. Moreover, we are grateful that we have been nominated for the 2019 Katerva Award in human development. Our idea of a talent ecosystem is somewhat similar to the Japanese keiretsu whose interlocking parts establish a self-sustaining system. We, therefore, believe that collaboration works better than competing. That is why we are striving to partner with institutions like BTA.”

Funtrench focuses on practical training where learners are instilled with skills to build solutions based on emerging technologies that address African problems. To this end, Funtrench has joined hands with Nairobi-based tertiary institution Oshwal College and Kenyan NGO AkiraChix to offer courses in blockchain foundation, blockchain developer, Python programming, and game development.

Speaking during the launch, Hon Michael Onyango, a member of Kenya’s Blockchain and AI taskforce observed: “The advent of emerging technologies continues to disrupt global trade, labor markets, and our local informal sector. The fourth industrial revolution is driven by emerging technologies that are totally dependent on skilled knowledgeable human resource. Today’s formal launch of Funtrench’s services coinciding with their nomination for the 2019 Katerva Award in Human Development, is a clear sign that Funtrench has positioned Africa’s place as a homegrown African agenda at par with global industry standards within the development of local talent and the development of startups within emerging technologies.”

Funtrench is set to roll out machine learning and augmented reality courses in the near future to further promote the adoption of emerging technologies in Africa and beyond.